San Jose State QB David Fales closes in on two passing records

SAN JOSE -- His focus is on a much-needed win, so quarterback David Fales wasn't even aware of how close he is to two major San Jose State passing records.

With even a below-average performance Friday night against Navy (6-4), the senior from Salinas should become the school's all-time career leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns.

Fales needs 153 yards -- less than half of his career average of 321.5 -- to match Adam Tafralis' mark of 7,548. He's one touchdown shy of Steve Clarkson's career record of 56.

How will Fales react if he breaks those major records?

"I don't really know yet," Fales said. "It's pretty amazing to see the list of names on all those records and to be considered amongst them is an honor. It hasn't really hit me yet I guess."

San Jose State quarterback David Fales (10) reacts after being sacked in the second quarter at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)
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Josie Lepe
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Fales is also just 59 yards away from recording the second-highest single season passing total in school history. He already holds the top spot after throwing for 4,193 last year.

The 6-3, 220-pound Fales needs 45 yards to pass Jeff Garcia and move to second place in the career total offense category. He's 881 yards away from Tafralis' career mark of 8,111 and also 43 completions from Tafralis' career completions record of 603.

Tafralis set his records while starting 38 games over four years at SJSU. Clarkson was also around for four years, starting 28 games, and Garcia started 25 games and played in 31 over three seasons.

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Fales, who transferred to SJSU from Monterey Peninsula College, is on the verge of surpassing those marks in just two seasons. He'll make his 24th start for the Spartans (5-5) on Friday in search of a win to make the SJSU bowl eligible for a second straight year. He credits his supporting cast for allowing him to put up the big numbers.

Noel Grigsby and Chandler Jones are first and second in career receptions and receiving yards and former tight end Ryan Otten, now on the San Diego Chargers practice squad, is the record holder for receiving at his position.

"There's a lot of other great players that are going to go down in the record book as well," Fales said.

Left guard Ryan Jones, who missed the Nevada game after having surgery to place a screw in his broken left foot, will be a game-time decision against Navy but coach Ron Caragher is encouraged that he could be back.